I was waiting for this yesterday, This is a great article and Estuary magazine has been a good friend to beavers. From the very beginning. Unfortunately Cheryl’s lovely photo is mistakenly attributed, but I’m thrilled with the article anyway.
It seems destined that two species known for their environmental engineering would struggle to live in unison. However, municipalities like Napa and Martinez in Contra Costa County have learned to live with their beavers, and the upcoming California Beaver Summit aims to set the record straight.
“Our approach is hands-off,” says Jeremy Sarrow, a resource specialist with Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, describing the county’s tack toward managing beaver dams built along inhabited waterfronts. Sarrow suggests that a three-foot-high wrapping of hardware cloth (similar to chicken wire but more durable) around the trunk of a tree is sufficient to deter a beaver.
A fine nod to Napa. Now lets go looking for other clues that Estuary understands this story. Lets see. What really matters to California? Oh that’s right. Fire.
Furthermore, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that beaver habitats have a lasting positive impact on surrounding ecosystems. Emily Fairfax, a scientist and assistant professor at California State University Channel Islands interviewed by Estuary News last April, has focused her research on beavers’ impact on fire resilience. “In severe fires, areas with beaver dams held up pretty well,” says Fairfax. Viewed from
Beavers are getting a pretty deep bench. Did you notice? So many things are going right for them. And the best people seem to be on hand to make the best poings. Thanks Emily.
Recent Bay Area history has also shown that when a beaver moves in, a whole lot of biodiversity follows. In 2007, when one settled into Alhambra Creek in Martinez, Heidi Perryman and other community advocates fought to protect it from government-ordered extermination. “Within a few months, we saw green herons, wood ducks, and river otters returning to the creek,” Perryman says. She went on to found the community group Worth A Dam to tell the story of the Martinez beaver and advocate for a similar approach in other urban waterways.
Oh yes, Et in arcadio ego. And there Martinez is. Smack dab in the middle of a dynamic beaver tale once again.
To help educate the community and share best practices across agencies and counties, Perryman and others have organized the California Beaver Summit this April 7 and 9. Speakers will clarify beaver history, share the benefits their presence provides, and teach how to interact more responsibly with them. Fairfax, a featured speaker on the second day, will discuss her recent research on beavers and last year’s historic fire season.
“It’s not about having enough evidence at this point,” says Perryman on the value beavers bring to California waterways. “Everybody that drinks water and doesn’t want their house burned down should be interested in something that solves both problems.”
And………………………..scene! Credit to Napa, and Martinez plus some shade to Brentwood which is as it should be. This is a fine article to read and share. Share with as many people as you can think of. It’s so nice that this came just in time to promote the summit. Sometimes I do get the feeling that the earth is tipping in beaver favor.
